Annex 1
CHINA: POLITICAL HISTORY
1. The Chinese imperial system came to an
end in 1911, when the Qing (Manchu) dynasty was overthrown and
China was proclaimed a republic, partly through the efforts of
revolutionaries such as Sun Yat-sen. The country then entered
a period of warlordism until in 1927 the Nationalist Party or
"Kuomintang" (KMT), under its leader Chiang Kai-shek,
established a central government in Nanjing. The Chinese Communist
Party (CCP) was founded in 1921 but broke with the KMT and was
forced to flee into the interior in the Long March in 1934-35.
Both KMT and CCP forces opposed Japan during World War Two but
a civil war broke out from 1945-49. CCP forces under Mao Zedong
routed their KMT opponents and in 1949 Mao announced the establishment
of the People's Republic of China. KMT elements fled to the island
of Taiwan.
2. The period between 1949 and Mao's death
in 1976 was characterised by an ambitious political and economic
restructuring programme which involved the collectivisation of
industry, the establishment of communes and the redistribution
of land. The Cultural Revolution from 1966-76 brought enormous
upheaval in the political system and Mao had to rely on the armed
forces to maintain order and exercise control.
3. In December 1978 the CCP, inspired by
Deng Xiaoping, launched a wide-ranging programme of economic and
social reform which sought to modernise the economy, develop China's
external relations (the "open door policy")—especially
with the West, and implement a gradual and limited liberalisation
of Chinese society.
4. Political opposition to the more liberal
reforms forced periods of retrenchment and in June 1989, following
the brutal suppression of pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing,
political control swung firmly into the hands of conservative
elements within the CCP. The Chinese Government labelled the demonstrations
a "counter-revolutionary rebellion" and clamped down
on dissent. Prominent dissidents fled the country or went into
hiding. Many activists were arrested. Party General Secretary
Zhao Ziyang was replaced by Jiang Zemin, former Mayor and later
Party Secretary of Shanghai. Jiang was appointed to the additional
post of State President in March 1993. Since then, the Party leadership
has continued the economic reform programme, while also seeking
to improve China's standing in the international community. Jiang
retired as President in March 2003 and was replaced by Vice-President
Hu Jintao.
5. In March 2005 the transition to a new
generation leadership was completed when Jiang Zemin retired from
the Chairmanship of the State Central Military Commission (CMC).
Hu Jintao (already State President and Party General Secretary)
became the new Chairman of the State CMC. Premier Wen Jiabao took
office in March 2003, at the same time as Wu Bangguo became Chairman
of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee. The
leadership announced they would continue to follow established
policy priorities of economic growth, internal stability and steadily
opening up to the world.
6. Nonetheless, there is an increased focus
on the social impact of economic reform. Their policies seek to
address growing wealth and regional disparities, accelerate reform
of the rural sector (still home to 65% of China's population)
and combat corruption. China is experiencing a growing amount
of social unrest due to a lack of social security, government
corruption and the increasing income gap between rich and poor.
The new leadership has placed greater emphasis on effective administration
and has encouraged greater accountability in the Party. In 2005
the main themes of the NPC annual session were an anti-secession
law aimed at Taiwan and policies on the need to "forestall
and deal properly with mass disturbances".
7. In October 2005 the Party Plenum meeting
chaired by President Hu approved the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-10).
This guiding document sets out the Governments broad policy aims
of maintaining China's stable rate of economic growth while speeding
up structural adjustments to the economy. The plan also emphasises
the Government's commitments to protecting the environment, encouraging
innovation, achieving social justice, harmonising inequalities
in the pace of regional development and achieving a better balance
between industry and agriculture.
| 
